Opinion from a guy in the stands

English Arrogance & A rant.

I always stay out of social media debates but every time there’s an argument between Scottish and English football I always feel the need to jump in. I can’t help myself.

I don’t think there’s anyone in Scotland that would proclaim that our league is better than theirs. However I think we’re harshly treated.
This season alone I’ve watched Leicester & Manchester City at Parkhead. The champions of England and arguably their most talented side. I was unimpressed by both.
Now I believe both of these teams are better than Celtics. However, we’re good enough to take on any of these teams and get a result. Hence we did – on all three occasions.
At the opposite end of the spectrum I’ve sat in East Fife’s New Bayview and watched a then Scottish league 2 side take on Southend United and Accrington Stanley. Only friendlies of course, but I watched East Fife beat both of these teams and again left unimpressed.
So in social media today I’ve come across three arguments that annoyed me. Rather than get involved in some verbal diarrhoea with what probably is a 17 year old West Brom fan I thought I’d use the blog to vent.

Argument 1‘Celtic would struggle in the Championship’

I can’t believe there’s people that truly think this. It’s difficult to compare without actually playing them but look at our transfers alone this season.
Darnell Fisher & Saidy Janko – two full backs that couldn’t get anywhere near our team. Both playing in the Championship this season.
Similarly, Anthony Stokes and Charlie Mulgrew. Both of these players were excellent servants but found themselves well out of the side towards the end. Again – both playing first team in the Championship.
While watching the Blackburn – Newcastle game the other day the commentator even mentioned it being quoted that Charlie Mulgrew was the best free signing in the Championship this season. I’m delighted he’s doing well, but looking at our team this year I’m wondering if Mulgrew even makes the bench. Surely that proves a point if nothing else.
Scott Sinclair is the prime example though. He scored 19 goals in his last season in the Championship with Swansea before earning a move to Man City. He’s tearing up Scotland, but he tore up the English second tier too.
Let’s put that point straight to bed.

Argument 2
‘Dembele isn’t worth £20m because he plays in Scotland and it doesn’t prove anything’

Southampton’s £50m star Virgil van Dijk wasn’t worth £15m in Scotland

Celtic fans know the difference better than anyone. In our time we’ve had Premiership quality players play beside Championship standard players coupled with the odd League 1 player all in the same squad.
We can tell the difference almost immediately. We hyped up Wanyama, Van Dijk & Forster more than anyone else. Forster is one of the best keepers in the league, Wanyama breezes through games in the exact same fashion he did up here and Van Dijk is in the top 5 defenders in England with a £50m price tag. 50 Million. And to think our own media questioned whether he was worth £15m. Nothing like self promotion! That’s another argument for another day though.
Remember, English clubs spend £50m on John Stones (who probably still has nightmares about that night at Celtic Park v Dembele) and £35m for Andy Carroll, who Dembele is a better striker than on the basis he can move as well as head the ball.
In reality, no player is probably worth £20 million. However, the English inflated the prices, so pay up!
I’m also ecstatic we’re playing hard ball and telling them 20 isn’t enough. I don’t want Dembele to leave at all, but if someone wants to buy him make them pay.

Argument 3‘West Ham are a bigger club than Celtic’

Money doesn’t make you a big club. There’s a difference between big and successful. Thankfully we’re both. Players sign for West Ham because of the opposition they can play against and the money they can make. Players sign for Celtic because they want to win trophies and play in the Champions League. Sorry Hammers, you can’t offer either.
The soulless atmospheres in England are to be avoided. I’ve even sat in it at Old Trafford myself. Tourist clubs with no passion or real support.
That’s the reason I wouldn’t want Celtic in England. Over time our club being filled with tourist and our hearts and soul driven out by cash. Again, that’s another argument.
Give me Celtic v Hamilton at Celtic Park over West Ham v Arsenal anyday.
The one that annoyed me most was Wilfried Bony signing for City.
He was quoted as saying “I’ve dreamed of playing for Man City for 15 years”. Fifteen years prior to that quote they were playing in an English League 1 play-off. If that was any Celtic player (and we were paying him ridiculous money) to come out with that sort of quote I’d take a strong dislike to immediately and want him gone. Plastic club, plastic support and plastic players. No thanks!
Finally, my personal favourite ‘my nan would score 40 in the Scottish League’. The English over 50’s female league must be bursting with top quality talent. Maybe Sky should invest in that – because it’s got to be better than the 0-0 bore fests the best league in the world are serving up.

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13 thoughts on “English Arrogance & A rant.”

Agree totally . If you’re looking for the best football quality then Spain, Germany and (a resurgent) Italian league are considerably better. Loads of more attractive and entertaining football from these leagues without the hysteria of self importance.

I have lived in England for 20 years. My two daughters and my wife are English. I subscribe to BTSports and Sky.

Despite the above I refuse out of principle to watch any EPL match and have not watched one for more than 2 years.

I have no interest in watching multi millionaires roll around the floor for 90mins or the cardboard cut out pundits tell us how world class those multi millionaires are.

When I come up to Celtic Park I am always bemused and saddened by the amount of Chelsea, Man C, Spurs etc tops being worn about Glasgow and it seems to get worse with each passing year.

Don’t these idiots know that they are backing and advertising an institution (English football generally) that despises and is in the process of destroying Scottish football because of the money? (and the SFA is doing a good job by itself too)

I suppose I cant be too critical because the idiots are aided and abetted by a complicit and moronic SMSM which seems to be automatically pessimistic or down plays anything that comes from Scottish football yet is completely comfortable lauding and advertising another country’s football.

Having watched Leicester v Middlesbourgh last Monday in the lunch time kick off game , I have no doubts at all that Celtic could easily compete in that league , outside of the current top 6 we would takes points home and away

Sycamore
You refuse out of principal to watch any EPL game on Sky sports, that you pay for, that finances the over inflated Premiership in England.
Eh why do you pay for it? You’r part of the problem. Tell them Tae get Tae F
Hail Hail

Have thought of that Traveller. Quite a lot.
I live 400 miles from CP. Going to match requires an overnight stay and costs me approx £250-£300. I attend approx 6-8 games a season.
For the matches that I do not attend my options are to stream Celtic games illegally and watch on a laptop, which I already do from time to time, or watch an illegal stream at a ridiculously low resoultion on a TV.
Or I could just turn the telly on and watch a Celtic match.
I choose the latter and I justify that by not providing BT sports/Sky the “hits” for their EPL matches.
I also pay for Celtic TV.
I am not part of the problem at all.
Get off your high horse.

I have had discussions like this many a time . My argument is this . If we had the money the premier league clubs had , we would be a top 6-7 team to start . I then go on to say how many grounds hold the same or more than paradise . Man Utd more , arsenal give or take same . Then it’s we now generate more money than most premier clubs .
In this being all factual evidence I say we would be able to bring in quality players making us yet again stronger than most .
I
By being stronger . We then make more teams weaker than us . To all this they all shake heads and tell me you win . HH

Said to my pals for years and years get the directors to pump some of there billions not millions there are all worth into Celtic and for one maybe more and win that champions league more than we deserve they can then say to every Celtic supporter we gave you and us what everyone wanted f the money can take it with us one man lived out his dream jack walker